Fire-escape.



E. McCLURE.

FIRE ESCAPE.

APPLICATION FILED MAY I. 1916.

Patented- Dec. 12, 1916.

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E. McCLURE.

FIRE ESCAPE.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 1. 1916.

Patented Dec. 12, 1916.

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EDWARD MGCLURE, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO FRANKLIN 1?. SMITH, OF GHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

FIRE-ESCAPE.

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Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 12, 191th.

Application filed May 1, 1916. Serial No. 94,601.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, EDWARD MGCLURE, a

citizenof the United States, and a resident of Chicago, county of Cook, and State of Tllinois, have invented certain new and useto its primary object is to provide an improved fire escape for facilitating the removal of helpless patients and others from hospitals in case of fire.

Another object is to provide a fire escape which shall be protected from the inclemencies of the weather.

Another object is to provide a fire escape of trough-like formation, the inner face of which is normally covered and protected against rain, sleet and snow, but arranged to be instantaneously uncovered and converted into condition for instant use.

With these and other objects in view, this invention consists in the several novel features hereinafter fully set forth and claimed.

The invention is clearly illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1, is a cross section taken through a fire escape embodying a simple form of the present invention; Fig. 2, is a plan of a fragment thereof showing a certain looking means; Fig. 3, is a side elevation of the device; Fig. 4, is a cross section through a slightly modified form of the invention; Fig. 5, is a cross section through a second modification, and Fig. 6, is a cross section through a third modification.

Referring first to Figs. 1 to 3, inclusive, l0 designates a fire escape stairway such as is commonly used for facilitating the escape of persons from burning buildings as for instance hospitals. As is customary and well known such stairways lead from platforms 11, that communicate with doorways or windows through which access may be had to the fire escape. The stairway may run from the uppermost fioor of the building to-the ground and its inclination is rather gradual, the purpose of which will appear later.

The stairway acts as the support for the fire escape proper, which forms the subject matter of this invention, and the stairway is here shown as having standards 12, which directly support the device, said standards being part of the structural iron work of the stairway, although this exact form is not essential or material to the invention, broadly considered.

The fire escape proper comprises a chute 13, which extends along the stairway 10, and is supported upon the standards thereof by brackets 14, 15, riveted or otherwise secured to the chute and standards. In the preferred form of the invention the chute comprises two sections 16, 17, of suitable length, hingedly secured together at several places along their lower edges by hinges as shown at 18. Each section may consist of a piece of sheet or plate metal bent into the form of a quadrant, whereby when occupying its operative position the chute is substantially semicircular in cross section, although this particular form is not essen tial or material, but is convenient and satisfactory.

The section 17, is fixedly secured to the standards 12, and the section 16, is movable upon its hinges from a closed or covering position (seen in full lines in Fig. 1) to its operative position seen in dotted lines in same figure.

The sections 16, 17 are reinforced and stiffened by lengthwise and crosswise extending T bars 19, 20, riveted or otherwise secured to the outer faces thereof, and the free edges of-the sections are bent to form a lap joint as seen in Fig. 1, to prevent rain, sleet or snow from entering the chute when not in use. The lap joint is preferably formed by bending the edge portion of the section 17, outward and downward to pro vide an inclined flange 21, and bending the edge portion 22, of the section 16, outward and in such manner that when said section is in closed position, said edge portion lies parallel with the upper portion of the section 17, and then bending the extreme edge portion 23, back to overlie the edge portion 21 of the section 17 The edge portions 21, 23, 3

should preferably be tangent to an arc of a circle struck from the axes of the hinges or substantially so, to permit the free closing and opening of the hinged section 16.

The lower edge portions 21 and 23, of the two sections are bent outward to form flanges which materially stiffen the sections at said edges.

Counter weights 24:, are provided for counterbalancing the weight of the hinged sec tion and said counter weights are here shown as adjustably secured on arms 25, that are riveted or otherwise fastened to the hinged section and extend down below the hinges for a considerable distance. Preferably the counter weight 24:, is so proportioned and the arm 25, placed at such an angle with respect to the hinged section that the tendency for the counter weight is to swing the hinged section to its open position, and such position of the counter weight is shown in Fig. 1. When the counter weight is placed in this position locking means are provided for keeping the hinged section closed. A simple form of locking means may comprise a series of hooks 26, that are secured on a rod 27 which is rotatively mounted in brackets 28, secured to the flange 21, and lugs 29, on the flange 23, with which said hooks 26, engage. A handle or other operating means 30, secured to the rod may be provided for turning the rod to detach the hooks from the'lugs.

Stops may be provided for holding the hinged section in its open position, and conveniently the brackets 15, may be extended out beyond the hinges 18, in position to receive the hinged section and support it in its open position.

In the operation of this form of the invention, the hinged section is swung back against the stationary section and locked in place by the hooks. When needed for use,

- the rod 27, is turned in the proper direction I to detach the hooks 26, from the lugs 29, whereupon the counter weight swings the hinged section over into its open position where it rests on the arms 15. It is to be observed that the hinged section and counter weight are disposed to one side of a plane passing through the hinge axes, and that the counter weight is placed far enough to one side of the hinge axis (when the hinged section is closed) to overbalance the hinged section and swing it open, consequently when released from the hooks, the counterweight causes the initial opening of the section but when the latter passes a vertical line extending through the hingeaxes the section overbalances the counter weight and it drops upon the arms 15.

. In practice when the chute is used for removing helpless persons from hospitals, the mattress is wrapped around the patient and the edges thereof fastened together by hooks or otherwise; the patient thus prepared is lifted out and placed in the chute and slid down the same. At the bottom thereof may be a receiving platform (not shown) upon Which the patient lands and where the momentum is checked. I

In themodified form shown in Fig. 4, the counter weights 24, are disposed nearer a "vertical line passing through the hinge axes,

(when the section 16 is closed) than in the preferred form; the result being that the hinged section 16, overbalances the counter weight, in the position shown in dotted lines, consequently it stays closed until it is moved over toward the left as viewed in Fig. 4;; as in the preferred form the counter weight 2 1 counterbalances the weight of the hinged section, whereby very little force is required to operate the hinged section. In the modified form are shown end plates 13, which are located at the upper end of the chute and close the open end thereof when the hinged section is swung back on the stationary section; said end plates prevent the entrance of rain and snow at the upper end of the chute.

In the modified form illustrated in Fig. 5, the entire chute 13 is shown as hinged to the stairway structure 10", as at 18", and counterbalanced by a counter weight 24:". When not in use the chute is swung up against some stationary part of the stairway structure; when needed for use it is tipped over into operative position.

In the modified form shown in Fig. 6, the entire chute 18", is stationarily supported on the stairway structure 10". It is here shown as provided with a cover 13 hinged at 18, to the chute and provided with a counter weight 24, for counterbalancing it. When needed for use the'cover 13, is raised and moved over to an open position to aiford free access to the chute. Said cover might be made in two sections each hinged to the upper edges of the chute.

In various forms of the invention shown and described the inside or concave face upon which persons slide down the chute is protected from the inclemencies of the weather, whereby the surface thereof is kept smooth, clean and in a dry condition.

The chute may be made up of a number of lengths of material, the meeting edges of which may be riveted or otherwise fastened together or the several lengths may remain unfastened from each other and the hinged section of each length may be operated independently of the others.

More or less variation of the exact details of construction are possible without departing from the spirit of this invention. I desire therefore, not to limit myself to the exact forms of the invention shown and described but intend in the following claims to point out all of the invention disclosed herein.

I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent 1. A device of the character described, comprising a support and an inclined chute secured thereto and having a hinged counter weighted portion for covering the inner surface of the chute.

2. A device of the character described, comprising a support and an inclined chute carried thereby, and comprising a. stationary section and a counter weighted section hinged to the stationary section, and movable from a position covering the inner face of the chute to an operative or open position.

3. A device of the character described, comprising a support, and an inclined chute supported thereby, said chute comprising two sections, the one being stationary and the other hinged thereto along the lower edges thereof, and being also counter weighted, the hinged section being movable from a position covering the inner faces of the sections, and the hinged section having an upper edge portion adapted to overlap an upper edge portion of the stationary section.

4. A device of the character described, comprising a support, an inclined chute supported thereby and comprising a stationary section and a movable section hinged thereto along the lower edges thereof, counter weight supporting arms secured to said movable section, and counter weights adjustably secured on said arms.

5. A device of the character described, comprising a support, an inclined chute supported thereby, and consisting of two sections, one being stationary and the other hinged thereto along their lower edges, and movable from a position covering the inner faces of the chute to an open operative position, counter weight supporting arms secured to the movable section, and counter Weights carried by said arms and operating to swing open the hinged section, and latch mechanism for holding the hinged section in .closed position.

6. A fire escape comprising a supporting structure, an inclined chute supported thereby and consisting of a stationary section secured to said supporting structure and a movable section hinged to the stationary section at the lower edge thereof, said movable section being arranged to overlie the stationary section and thereby cover the same, and being capable of movement to an open operative position a support for holding said movable section in its open position, a counter weight supporting arm secured to said movable section and a counter weight secured to said arm.

EDWARD MGGLURE.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G. 

